Buxton / Buchestuna / Bukestuna

A church at Buxton, in the hundred of South Erpingham, is noted in Domesday [transcription by J.J.N. Palmer, University of Hull [http://domesdaymap.co.uk/place/TG2322/buxton/] [accessed 15 March 2013]. Blomefield (1805-1810) writes: "Ralf de Beaufoe owned [the manor of Buxton] at the Conqueror's survey, and the church then had 30 acres of glebe [...] The Church of St. Andrew at Buxton was a rectory appendant to the manor till Hubert de Rhye, lord of the town, (fn. 1) gave the advowson of it to the Master of the order of Semplingham. [...] Vicars of Buxton, were nominated by the Bishops of Norwich to the convent of Sempringham, the priors of which house presented them. 1232, Richard de Kirkebi, or Kirby, the last rector, and the first vicar." Thomas (1846) notes the font: "Per[pendicular]; plain octagon cavity dirty". A font in this church is noted in Pevsner & Wilson (1997): "Font. A plain octagonal piece, undatable." There is a painting of this font and cover at the Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery [Museum number NWHCM : 1951.235.1223.B179 : F] [www.sandys.norfolk.gov.uk/sand138.htm] [accessed 18 June 2009]. The font has a narrow octagonal basin raised on an octagonal pedestal base; the only visible decoration are the graded mouldings at the underbowl and lower base. There is a tallish open-work cover; appears modern [1938?] The font itself, as noted above, is of difficult dating. The web site of the Church of England, 'A Church Near You' [http://achurchnearyou.com] entry for Calthorpe, Norfolk notes that the "decorative font cover originates from Buxton church". [NB: we have no information on the font of the original church here].